Europe vacay? Malta, Belgium among top 10 rejectors for Schengen visa

With Schengen visa rejections on the rise, know the latest trends and which countries offer the best chances for approval.

 

If you're planning a trip to Europe this year, it’s not just flight tickets and hotel bookings you need to worry about. Schengen visa rejections are a growing concern and some countries are significantly more likely to turn down your application than others. 

According to official data released on the European Commission’s website, the visa rejection trends across Schengen countries have remained high over the last three years, with Malta, Belgium, and France consistently ranking among the most difficult countries to secure a visa from. 

Malta remains the most reluctant

In 2024, Malta topped the list for the second year in a row, with a rejection rate of 38.5 per cent. This follows a near 40 per cent rejection rate in 2023, and 35 per cent in 2022, showing a consistent tightening of visa approvals by the island nation. 

 

Belgium and France: Persistently high refusals 

Belgium has maintained high rejection levels over the past three years. In 2024, it rejected 24.6 per cent of visa applications, closely matching its 2023 rate of around 24 per cent, and about 25 per cent in 2022. 

Similarly, France, which processes the largest number of visa applications among Schengen countries, saw a 15.8 per cent rejection rate in 2024. This is lower than around 22 per cent in 2023, and about 18 per cent in 2022, but the sheer volume of applications (over 3 million) still makes it one of the countries with the highest absolute number of refusals. 

Other notable trends

·  Croatia, which had a high rejection rate of around 26.7 per cent in 2023, saw a drop to 19.3 per cent in 2024.

 

·  Estonia wasn’t among the top in previous years, but rose sharply in 2024 to 27.2 per cent, from around 22 per cent in 2022.

 

·  Italy and Spain also showed year-on-year improvement, with rejection rates in 2023 of about 15 per cent and around 17 per cent, respectively, compared to about 11 per cent and around 12 per cent in 2022. In 2024, both countries registered even better numbers, with Italy’s rejection rate dropping to approximately 13.5% and Spain’s to around 15.5%, reflecting higher acceptance rates of 86.5% and 84.5%, respectively.

 

Countries with highest Schengen visa approval rates

On the brighter side, some Schengen states have consistently shown high visa approval rates over the past three years. If you're looking for smoother processing and better chances of approval, these countries stand out: 

·  Portugal tops the list with an impressive acceptance rate which averages around 88.3 per cent.

 

·  Poland follows closely with around 87 per cent approvals.

 

·  Italy maintains a solid approval average at about 86 per cent.

 

·  Netherlands comes in at around 85.2 per cent.

 

·  Spain rounds out the top five with a strong about 84.5 per cent acceptance rate.

 

While rejection trends highlight the need for careful planning, knowing which countries are more visa-friendly can help travellers make informed choices when planning that long-awaited European getaway.